An Iraqi boy wearing a face mask plays on a swing in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 27, 2020. Iraqi Health Ministry on Wednesday said that a total of 5,135 COVID-19 cases were confirmed since the outbreak of the disease in the country, of whom up to 175 have died. (Xinhua)
BAGHDAD, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Health Ministry on Wednesday said that a total of 5,135 COVID-19 cases were confirmed since the outbreak of the disease in the country, of whom up to 175 have died.
A statement by the ministry said that 287 new cases were recorded nationwide during the past 24 hours and 257 of them were in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.
Six of the infected people died during the day in Baghdad's hospitals, bringing the death toll in the country to 175, while 2,904 have recovered so far, the statement said.
The new cases were recorded after 7,014 test kits were used across the country during the past 24 hours, and a total of 206,381 tests have been carried out since the outbreak of the disease, according to the statement.
The latest total COVID-19 cases of 5,135 and the daily increase of infections in the Iraqi capital pushed Baghdad provincial governor, Mohammed Jaber al-Atta, to warn that coronavirus could spread all over the city.
"The cases of coronavirus pandemic are in all over Baghdad, as there is no specific area in the city that could be far from the risk of the disease," al-Atta said in a statement.
Depite the repeated warnings, there are people still visiting each other and there is a lack of compliance by some citizens with the health restrictions, which advise them to avoid gatherings and keep social distancing, al-Atta added.
Since the outbreak of the disease, Iraq has been taking measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, including a nationwide curfew.
On April 26, a Chinese team of medical experts left Iraq after a 50-day stay to support Iraq in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. China has also donated batches of medical supplies to Iraq to help its battle against the coronavirus. Enditem
